The creative industries are hardly lacking when it comes to influential, hyper visible founders, creative directors and partners, but the days of putting their name above an agency’s door seems to be in the rearview mirror – at least for newer companies. Although plenty of those historic agencies still exist, you’re far more likely to see an agency name that expresses an intention or method or perspective, rather than the person who set it up.

With the founder-first approach falling out of fashion, where exactly does a new agency start in coming up with an appropriate name?

“Choosing a name for yourself is one of the toughest briefs out there. It’s like trying to bottle your essence without being too precious about it,” admits the founder of Berlin creative studio Presence. “We tossed around dozen: some clever, some ridiculous, some that should probably never see daylight again.” The name clinched victory because it had depth in English, while the German equivalent, Gegenwart, suggested “a sense of immediacy, awareness, and intentionality”.

Independent agencies all have their own methods and expertise, but what they have in common is a desire to do things differently – which often involves inviting clients on a journey to do things differently, too. A name can help to signal a new breed of client relationships.